MEN, dont come into nursing

Guests · Sep 16, 2014

It (nursing) sucks. Dont let people here convince you on how great it is.

It's not great but it *can* be a solid way to make a good living. I spent three years at a nursing job that sucked and I've now been two years at a very solid job... though a lot of people say it sucks. It pays well, it's stable, it's interesting, and - best of all - I get to leave it behind the moment I'm off the clock.

dont hang onto the mentality of "nursing is a great career there where always be jobs"

True dat. The good jobs are pretty competitive to get... but that's true in all fields.

there are no nursing jobs.

Ooops, credibility just flew out the window with the extremist statement. There are some 5,000 RNs working in my local urban and suburban hospitals. No jobs? Got news for you... I'm not a volunteer.

People from overseas come here by the boat and take jobs.

There's an element of truth in that there are some who are pushing Congress to issue work visas to alleviate the mythical shortage... kind of like engineers and coders in the tech sector... Of the 40 people that we've hired in the last 2 years, each one is a US citizen...

The wage is on the down trend, there are more then enough nurses to replace those ready to retire.

I think this is more potential than reality but admittedly, the surplus of newly minted nurses - including people like me - will tend to drive wages down... Of course, that's been uniformly true for most vocations since early on in Bush II... the new economy is one that benefits the investor and executive class. Nursing has an advantage in that it's one of the few bastions of organized labor that remains.

Please if you are just getting into college pick a less stressful, good paying career choice.

I find nursing to be much LESS stressful than most of my engineering gigs which were based on winning contracts and producing deliverables ahead of schedule and under budget.

PPLEASE research on forums and here from nurses who are not happy with their career.

For sure, seek out varied opinions and experiences, and understand what girds them... then decide what are your goals and options... I did this 7 years ago and decided (correctly) that nursing was the best choice.

Dont listen to the few on here who say nursing is so wonderful, i promise you when they run out of paxil and adivan, which is fueling there happiness, they will no longer be posting on these boards on the issues of how great their jobs are.

No, rather they should listen to bitter, burned out, used up people.

I joined this board prior to being accepted to nursing school and I'm still here... SSRI and benzo free... Nursing isn't "so wonderful" but in the right place, it can be a solid career choice.

As I often say, "I've done worse things for less money."

Guests · Sep 16, 2014

Oh, and I'm not quite sure what this has to do with Y chromosomes...

But I can say that ED nursing is about the manliest gig I know of outside of the military, fire service, or law enforcement.

ShelbyaStar · Sep 16, 2014

As I often say, "I've done worse things for less money."

I need to remember this haha! So true.

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Sep 16, 2014

Oh, and I'm not quite sure what this has to do with Y chromosomes...
But I can say that ED nursing is about the manliest gig I know of outside of the military, fire service, or law enforcement.

Throw in EMS and you've pretty much covered the manly gig stuff.

ComeTogether, LPN · Sep 16, 2014

Can't know much about nursing if you can't spell Ativan! Speak for yourself! Many people choose this field IN SPITE of the red tape. I for one know full well what I am getting into, but I have chosen it anyway, because I want to do it and I believe I will be good at it.

RescueNinjaKy · Sep 16, 2014

But I will catch a grenade for you...

Bruno Mars anyone?

Anyways, to the op, nursing is tough for everyone, don't know why you're emphasizing males.

But you gotta do what makes you happy. If the profession is making you miserable then by all means find something else to do. I came into nursing knowing very well it ain't gonna be lollipops and sunshine but it's my passion so bring it on.

I could be wrong but you seen to be having some severe anxiety and stress. Go see an occupational therapist and some counseling. Lay off coffee and take a nap and just try to relax.

firstinfamily, RN · Sep 16, 2014

Ok, I am not exactly sure what the point of this thread is because, it seems to be covering multiple issues. First of all let me say there is at least a 4 hour time discrepancy from where I am geographically posting to when the time shows on the chat room, so asking someone what else they are doing at 04:00 in the am is a little inappropriate. They are communicating and that can be done anytime!!

Nursing is very stressful, very demanding, very exhausting, very exhilerating, challenging, great opportunity, encourages learning, has multiple avenues. Of my three children two have decided to enter into the medical field but not nursing. I encouraged my daughter to go into ultrasound because they can make as much money as a nurse with a lot less headache, also she has a brain that can process visually, and she would not have to work shift work etc. My oldest son is going into radiology, he has been working as a radiographer for a construction company and wanted to do something using some of his current skills. They both did not want nursing after hearing all my years of verbalizing "what was wrong with my job." My middle son went into photography.

I was the first nurse in my family, hence my post name, also the first to complete a college education. I went into nursing for multiple reasons, I needed to support myself, I wanted something that I had to use my brain, and that gave me a challenge. I got it all in one!! As far as the foreign nurses supplying our demand, I have mixed issues with this. Did you know that facilities get extra funding from the states to promote hiring of these foreign nurses? So the facilities are looking at their bottom line and solving two concerns: staffing and funding.

I have worked with nurses from the Philipines as well as from Africa. When living in Virginia, close to the naval bases, the Philipines supplied about 80% of the workforce, technically they were legal immigrants because they married an American serviceman. The Africian nurses that I worked with mostly came from the Kenya region of Africa and were very grateful for the opportunities they were offered in this country. I also had a brief encounter with someone from Switzerland who actually had to turn in her VISA because her husband lost his job. There are certain restrictions they have to adhere to and did you know the Philipines uses nursing as one of their major exports?? Those who leave that country to come to ours actually have to pay a separate tax and they continue to pay that tax even when they are working here.

Now, for the thread title. Men in Nursing. I really do not have a problem with this. Anyone can be a nurse, that does not mean everyone should try. I think it is admirable for men to come into nursing, some as a second career. I have found that it seems the male nurses get promoted before female nurses of the same quality. I am not sure if it is because men are more focused, or they command more attention, or they just have the right stuff to make it work. I do get tired of men who say they cannot catherize a female patient. Unless the female patient asks for a female nurse this is going to happen. I have never had a male nurse come to me and offer to catherize my male patients!! Years ago we use to have male attendants who would do this procedure.

So there it is!! It is true the opportunities are not as great as they were 10 years ago, but there are jobs out there, you just have to find what you want and go for it. Experience does not necessarily mean that dream job is going to jump into your lap. You may have to go outside your geographical area to find it, you may have to make some hard choices, but the opportunity is at least there. Don't forget our economy is still rather poor, we still have a national unemployment rate of 6% which is close to where it was during the Great Depression.

Chin up, Carry on!!

toomuchbaloney · Sep 16, 2014

I highly recommend the use of paragraphs, they improve readability.

DatMurse · Sep 16, 2014

Ok, I am not exactly sure what the point of this thread is because, it seems to be covering multiple issues. First of all let me say there is at least a 4 hour time discrepancy from where I am geographically posting to when the time shows on the chat room, so asking someone what else they are doing at 04:00 in the am is a little inappropriate. They are communicating and that can be done anytime!! Nursing is very stressful, very demanding, very exhausting, very exhilerating,challenging, great opportunity, encourages learning, has multiple avenues. Of my three children two have decided to enter into the medical field but not nursing. I encouraged my daughter to go into ultrasound because they can make as much money as a nurse with a lot less headache, also she has a brain that can process visually, and she would not have to work shift work etc. My oldest son is going into radiology, he has been working as a radiographer for a construction company and wanted to do something using some of his current skills. They both did not want nursing after hearing all my years of verbalizing "what was wrong with my job." My middle son went into photography. I was the first nurse in my family, hence my post name, also the first to complete a college education. I went into nursing for multiple reasons, I needed to support myself, I wanted something that I had to use my brain, and that gave me a challenge. I got it all in one!! As far as the foreign nurses supplying our demand, I have mixed issues with this. Did you know that facilities get extra funding from the states to promote hiring of these foreign nurses? So the facilities are looking at their bottom line and solving two concerns: staffing and funding. I have worked with nurses from the Philipines as well as from Africa. When living in Virginia, close to the naval bases, the Philipines supplied about 80% of the workforce, technically they were legal immigrants because they married an American serviceman. The Africian nurses that I worked with mostly came from the Kenya region of Africa and were very grateful for the opportunities they were offered in this country. I also had a brief encounter with someone from Switzerland who actually had to turn in her VISA because her husband lost his job. There are certain restrictions they have to adhere to and did you know the Philipines uses nursing as one of their major exports?? Those who leave that country to come to ours actually have to pay a separate tax and they continue to pay that tax even when they are working here. Now, for the thread title. Men in Nursing. I really do not have a problem with this. Anyone can be a nurse, that does not mean everyone should try. I think it is admirable for men to come into nursing, some as a second career. I have found that it seems the male nurses get promoted before female nurses of the same quality. I am not sure if it is because men are more focused, or they command more attention, or they just have the right stuff to make it work. I do get tired of men who say they cannot catherize a female patient. Unless the female patient asks for a female nurse this is going to happen. I have never had a male nurse come to me and offer to catherize my male patients!! Years ago we use to have male attendants who would do this procedure. So there it is!! It is true the opportunities are not as great as they were 10 years ago, but there are jobs out there, you just have to find what you want and go for it. Experience does not necessarily mean that dream job is going to jump into your lap. You may have to go outside your geographical area to find it, you may have to make some hard choices, but the opportunity is at least there. Don't forget our economy is still rather poor, we still have a national unemployment rate of 6% which is close to where it was during the Great Depression. Chin up, Carry on!!

0246.wall-of-text.png_2D00_610x0.png

BigGoose62 · Sep 18, 2014

Male nurse here, and I completely disagree. I love this career, and can't see myself doing much else. I enjoy the responsibility and satisfaction of helping people. Every job has downsides, and maybe this one has too many for you. But I don't think you're in a position to tell half the population that nursing is a bad career for them. But thanks for your opinion.

phoenoryker · Sep 18, 2014

OP...I can respect anyone's conjecture of information, however, for me, subjectivity loses intended effect when my perception of the presenter of information is a lack of educational background. Unfortunately, society is judgmental, with judgments occurring in first time meetings within seconds. The same can be said from an initial reading of someone's position. I kept an open with your post, up until the part regarding foreigners coming over here on boats. Perhaps this is true, but it demonstrates cultural blindness and insensitivity on your end , which leads me to suspect you lack a sound educational foundation. Maybe I am wrong, maybe I think I am more intellectual than I am, who knows, everything is debatable depending on who you ask... So please view this as hard constructive criticism, I think you can handle it, since you expressed such an emotionally charged opinion.

ConfusedSoul94 · Sep 23, 2014

Did you not do Clinicals and such to get a feel for the job? I'd understand if this were a forum on business, science, etc where you get a degree before really being able to scope the field out (Then again, internships exist), but if you graduated last year like people said, how in the world are you so miserable already? There are numerous fields of nursing and other ways to be a nurse aside hospitals and nursing homes. I honestly wonder if you even have a nursing job/degree. No, not everyone will like their job, but it's not one's fault but yours. If you have issues with people "taking your jobs", then be glad you aren't a doctor or an engineer. Those fields are being filled with foreigners. You don't own any job field. People complain about others taking jobs when half the time, the jobs they take, no one here wants to do.

I'm not saying this from a perspective of "I was always called to nursing". I'm a Biological Science major who honestly dreaded the work and job I'd theoretically have. After finally seeing that professorships (which I didn't want to do) and research positions are scarce, I was suggested to look at nursing. From the minute I found this forum, I got excited and nervous. I don't feel a single sense of dread for my education. Find your niche (in nursing or another field). Complaining with little actual helpful information isn't doing anything but making you seem like a douche.